Johns, Jims and Jesus

Consider John: John is a believer in Jesus Christ. At the age of 14, he heard a guest speaker at youth camp teach that Jesus died for our sins and John believed what he heard. He prayed with a counselor at the end of that service and has never doubted that he is a Christian since then.

However, here are some things John does not know or believe:

1. That all of his sins – past, present, and future, have been already been forgiven because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. He has never been taught that and doesn’t know it. He thinks that only past sins were forgiven and that he still has to ask for forgiveness every day.

2. That he is a already a righteous person. John tries to become increasingly righteous by reading his Bible, praying, attending church, and other disciplines he has been taught are necessary for growing in righteousness.

3. That he is already holy. He would say, “I’m trying to be” if somebody were to ask him if he is holy. He doesn’t know that his holiness is because of what Jesus Christ has done and isn’t accomplished by what we do or don’t do.

Are these three aspects of the work of the cross true of John even though he doesn’t know or believe them? Of course the answer is, “yes.” (That’s called “objective reality.”) They are true of John whether he knows them or believes them or not. This is the “factual reality” of the matter. His complete forgiveness, righteousness and holiness won’t become a beneficial reality to him experientially until he knows and believes, but they are true nonetheless. Correct?

Now consider Jim: Jim doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ. He grew up in a moral family who didn’t attend church at all. Jim has never even heard one sermon preached. He has never given much thought to being a Christian.

Here are some things that Jim doesn’t know or believe:

1. He doesn’t know that his sins have all been forgiven. Have they? Is the forgiveness of his sins something that happened because of the finished work of the cross or must he believe it before the work of the cross is a success when it comes to the forgiveness of his sins?

2. He doesn’t believe that he is righteous. Is he? Must Jim believe on Jesus Christ before this aspect of the work of the cross is applied to him? Or is righteousness a gift he has received but doesn’t know it?

3. He would never see himself as holy. Is he? Was Jim included when God set apart those for whom Jesus died?

In the case of both John and Jim, it isn’t their knowledge or belief that causes what Jesus Christ did on the cross to be successful. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He affirmed the victorious work of the cross was complete for all mankind; for every John and Jim in the world.

Christian John’s forgiveness, righteousness and holiness are real even though he doesn’t know it. Why? Because Jesus succeeded in what He died to accomplish for John. Unless and until John knows and believes these things, he won’t benefit from them but they are real nonetheless. They are factual realities even if he never knows them as actual experience.

Did the work of Jesus Christ on the cross only accomplish these things for the Johns of the world? They don’t know or believe they are fully forgiven, righteous and holy, but they are simply because they believed just enough to make these things happen for them at some point in life? Is that it?

On the other hand, are the Jims of the world are not forgiven or made righteous or holy until they come to that same level of minimal belief as the Johns? John doesn't know and believe he is holy but he is. Jim doesn't know and believe he is holy so he isn't? Is it the case that the cross of Jesus Christ was wasted on them because while the Johns of the world don’t know or believe the complete news of the gospel, they do believe just enough to make all these things real for them.The Jims haven’t believed the necessary information about Jesus’ death to have any of it be true for them.

Or is any of it true? Some Christians would say the Jims are forgiven already too. They just don’t know it. However, righteousness and holiness, they say, won’t be true until
Jim believes. So the benefits of the cross are piecemealed and divided into parts. One part is true without knowledge or belief (forgiveness), but the rest (righteousness, holiness, etc.) of the benefits of Jesus’ death require belief. The net outcome of the cross in this view is that it has partially affected everybody but won’t be complete until people believe. It isn’t really “finished” but is “being finished” one person at a time, as they believe.

What is the truth about the matter? The truth is that Jesus did what He did for all the Johns and Jims of the world. It is His finished work that has lifted us up from Adam’s race and adopted us in Christ. The success of the cross in delivering us from our doom in Adam is due entirely to Jesus! He did it all! It really is finished! That is the gospel we proclaim to the world!!

Does this mean everybody is a Christian? No. A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, one who has placed their faith in Him. However, those who haven’t believed are still included. They simply don’t know or enjoy the benefits. Hebrews 4:2 says, “The same gospel (this finished work of Jesus on our behalf) that was preached unto us was preached unto them also, but it benefited them nothing because they did not combine the truth with faith.”

It simple. They’re spiritually rich too, but unless they believe it they will continue to live as paupers. They will remain dead to the reality and live in an illusion that they are self-sustaining beings who lead their own lives apart from the Father, Son and Spirit Who have brought them into the Circle of Love and Life. They’re standing in The Light but are blind to it.

Let’s not insult the finished work of the cross by insisting that it is our vote that determines whether He succeeded or not. He did succeed. The only question now is whether or not we will live in His victory or in the illusion of our own independence. To do that is living hell – one that we can insist on in this world and the next if we so choose.